What do you think?
Rate this book
Delightful Christmas #7
A Stranger Arrives This Christmas
A Stranger Arrives this Christmas – the latest heartwarming Christmas romantic comedy from CP Ward.
When Annie Collins inherits her grandfather’s sprawling Lake District mansion shortly before Christmas, she has enough to handle without the attention of the eccentric locals and the longtime staff, many of whom seem as old as the house itself.
However, when, a handsome stranger arrives one dark night, Annie could forgive herself for thinking she’s stumbled unwittingly into the middle of a fairy tale.
But who is this mysterious man? And will there be love in the air for Annie this Christmas?
A Stranger Arrives this Christmas is sure to delight the thousands of readers of CP Ward’s much-loved Delightful Christmas series, which includes I’m Glad I Found You This Christmas and Christmas at the Marshmallow Café.
When Annie Collins inherits her grandfather’s sprawling Lake District mansion shortly before Christmas, she has enough to handle without the attention of the eccentric locals and the longtime staff, many of whom seem as old as the house itself.
However, when, a handsome stranger arrives one dark night, Annie could forgive herself for thinking she’s stumbled unwittingly into the middle of a fairy tale.
But who is this mysterious man? And will there be love in the air for Annie this Christmas?
A Stranger Arrives this Christmas is sure to delight the thousands of readers of CP Ward’s much-loved Delightful Christmas series, which includes I’m Glad I Found You This Christmas and Christmas at the Marshmallow Café.
- GenresChristmasContemporary
232 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 30, 2022
13 people are currently reading
134 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 9, 2022
Too Unhappy for Christmas . . .
The way the story begins paints a nightmare on the reader’s mind as Annie Collins tries to get an account number from a little old lady customer over the phone while a rude, obnoxious, pushy man insists she pay her full attention to him and his needs regardless of the fact he sees she is on the phone helping someone else. Proceeding to attempt a climb over the counter to get at someone else he can rant at, knocking a box of pens all over the floor, he clutches his chest and the ambulance is called. Chaos is rampant and I was ready to stop reading.
Returning home, Annie knocked a basket of mail all over the floor (among other tragedies). Gathering it up, intending to throw all of it in a recycling bin later without reading it, she saw a third letter from the law firm trying to scam her saying that she had inherited a manor house in the Lake District. This letter said she was holding up the processing of her grandfather’s estate by ignoring them. If she doesn’t want the property, they can help her sell it. Decisions also needed to be made regarding the staff members her grandfather had employed. Annie read to the end, waiting for them to ask for her credit card number so they can take care of these things. Oh well, it was still a scam and she crumpled the letter and tossed it across the room.
When she reached for her phone later, she found the crumpled letter and decided to call their bluff. Instead of listening to the woman, she ranted about what she knew they expected her to send to confirm her identity, such as her passport, bank account number, and a key to her flat perhaps? Then she hung up. When the woman called her back, she rejected the call and went back to drinking herself into a stupor. (I really disliked her intensely by this time, but the thought of a beautiful Christmas story kept me reading… out of curiosity on how we arrive at that, by this time!)
Will Annie eventually stumble blindly into her fairy tale life? Will she meet her prince charming? Will she at least have a lovely Christmas? Or is she resigned to her misery and unwilling to allow anyone to talk her out of it? This story was too negative for me. Christmas is my favorite time of year, and she was spoiling it. A story line offering no hope is not a good one for me. But apparently others reached the happy spot and enjoyed this one. So there is allegedly hope buried somewhere in the story if the readers choose to wade through the despair.
The way the story begins paints a nightmare on the reader’s mind as Annie Collins tries to get an account number from a little old lady customer over the phone while a rude, obnoxious, pushy man insists she pay her full attention to him and his needs regardless of the fact he sees she is on the phone helping someone else. Proceeding to attempt a climb over the counter to get at someone else he can rant at, knocking a box of pens all over the floor, he clutches his chest and the ambulance is called. Chaos is rampant and I was ready to stop reading.
Returning home, Annie knocked a basket of mail all over the floor (among other tragedies). Gathering it up, intending to throw all of it in a recycling bin later without reading it, she saw a third letter from the law firm trying to scam her saying that she had inherited a manor house in the Lake District. This letter said she was holding up the processing of her grandfather’s estate by ignoring them. If she doesn’t want the property, they can help her sell it. Decisions also needed to be made regarding the staff members her grandfather had employed. Annie read to the end, waiting for them to ask for her credit card number so they can take care of these things. Oh well, it was still a scam and she crumpled the letter and tossed it across the room.
When she reached for her phone later, she found the crumpled letter and decided to call their bluff. Instead of listening to the woman, she ranted about what she knew they expected her to send to confirm her identity, such as her passport, bank account number, and a key to her flat perhaps? Then she hung up. When the woman called her back, she rejected the call and went back to drinking herself into a stupor. (I really disliked her intensely by this time, but the thought of a beautiful Christmas story kept me reading… out of curiosity on how we arrive at that, by this time!)
Will Annie eventually stumble blindly into her fairy tale life? Will she meet her prince charming? Will she at least have a lovely Christmas? Or is she resigned to her misery and unwilling to allow anyone to talk her out of it? This story was too negative for me. Christmas is my favorite time of year, and she was spoiling it. A story line offering no hope is not a good one for me. But apparently others reached the happy spot and enjoyed this one. So there is allegedly hope buried somewhere in the story if the readers choose to wade through the despair.
October 10, 2022
Not worth the time!
Wow! The description of this book reads so well - unfortunately, the book itself doesn't read as well! The descriptions were weak. The scene was never set for anything. We jumped from the bank to her apartment to the Lake District all within a series of two chapters.
There were three books in this one book, all of which were incomplete and hard to read. No thought was completed.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Wow! The description of this book reads so well - unfortunately, the book itself doesn't read as well! The descriptions were weak. The scene was never set for anything. We jumped from the bank to her apartment to the Lake District all within a series of two chapters.
There were three books in this one book, all of which were incomplete and hard to read. No thought was completed.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 30, 2024
(3.5 rounded to 4.0).
Annie is having a bad day. She has been attacked by her bank customer and put on notice for not having handled it well. She is eating noodle soup, has a non functioning fridge and has just received a card from her ex of him and his new lady on a beach in Spain. She also receives a third notice from a legal firm notifying her that she is the heir to a manor house and an estate that goes with it from her grandfather. Since both her grandfathers have been dead for years, she is sure that she is being scammed. But when her best friend convinces her to investigate, she finds that she did have a grandfather estranged from her father who has recently died and there is an estate that she will inherit. When she arrives, she is surprised to find a warm, friendly caretaker, a no-nonsense brisk housekeeper, a field full of reindeer, a Christmas village that is ready and waiting to open and a long lost family member.
This is the warm, Christmas tale with magical realism that you have been waiting for. It’s a romance, a mystery and a story filled with characters I came to care about and an ending that is just the right amount of happily ever after. Recommend to readers of contemporary Christmas romance writings. As part of the series titled Delightful Christmas 7, i am happy to find that there are others in this series.
Annie is having a bad day. She has been attacked by her bank customer and put on notice for not having handled it well. She is eating noodle soup, has a non functioning fridge and has just received a card from her ex of him and his new lady on a beach in Spain. She also receives a third notice from a legal firm notifying her that she is the heir to a manor house and an estate that goes with it from her grandfather. Since both her grandfathers have been dead for years, she is sure that she is being scammed. But when her best friend convinces her to investigate, she finds that she did have a grandfather estranged from her father who has recently died and there is an estate that she will inherit. When she arrives, she is surprised to find a warm, friendly caretaker, a no-nonsense brisk housekeeper, a field full of reindeer, a Christmas village that is ready and waiting to open and a long lost family member.
This is the warm, Christmas tale with magical realism that you have been waiting for. It’s a romance, a mystery and a story filled with characters I came to care about and an ending that is just the right amount of happily ever after. Recommend to readers of contemporary Christmas romance writings. As part of the series titled Delightful Christmas 7, i am happy to find that there are others in this series.
October 2, 2022
A wonderful story.
A fairytale written for modern times it is very British and very good. I love the humor and wit of the piece. A down and out lady finds she has inherited a wonderland. Not that there isn’t a few problems like a grumpy housekeeper and a pixie that you will love but there is a great bunch of other characters that will entertain you. It does has it romance but it is sweet and charming. This is what a Christmas book should be. I did receive a free copy of this book from Booksprout and voluntarily chose to review it.
A fairytale written for modern times it is very British and very good. I love the humor and wit of the piece. A down and out lady finds she has inherited a wonderland. Not that there isn’t a few problems like a grumpy housekeeper and a pixie that you will love but there is a great bunch of other characters that will entertain you. It does has it romance but it is sweet and charming. This is what a Christmas book should be. I did receive a free copy of this book from Booksprout and voluntarily chose to review it.
September 29, 2022
This is definitely the Christmas book that has it all!
Reindeer, of course. Father Christmas, Elves, snow and romance. Plenty of Christmas food, Christmas trees and it is all set in the beautiful Lake District.
The story is fun, some delightful twists and turns, and an unexpected romance sets the icing on the Christmas cake. Believable characters, wonderful setting and some fun moments. What more could you want for your Christmas enjoyment?
Reindeer, of course. Father Christmas, Elves, snow and romance. Plenty of Christmas food, Christmas trees and it is all set in the beautiful Lake District.
The story is fun, some delightful twists and turns, and an unexpected romance sets the icing on the Christmas cake. Believable characters, wonderful setting and some fun moments. What more could you want for your Christmas enjoyment?
October 5, 2022
Allow a day with tissue in hand and away from the public for this family-friendly magical Christmas treat that sees divorced 37-year-old bank clerk Annie Collins (no longer Weathersby) of Exeter in Devon, inherit Stone Spire Hall and Estate (including the village of Undercastle) near Quimbeck in the Lake District of England in November.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 7, 2022
The magic of Christmas in a story to warm your heart. There's fantastic characters, quirky villagers, delicious food, some mystery about the past and a new and unexpected romance.
Grab a mug of hot chocolate and immerse in this magical Christmas tale.
It was such fun and I highly recommended it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Grab a mug of hot chocolate and immerse in this magical Christmas tale.
It was such fun and I highly recommended it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 7, 2022
Great story. Perfect for the upcoming holiday season. Annie was a great character. I liked her a lot because she is realistically drawn. I can relate to her. I loved the opening scene. It was rather hectic and well written. It made me want to read more.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 8, 2022
A Christmas story that is heartwarming and uplifting. I enjoyed the storyline and main characters with their charm and witty dialog. The book is an easy read and well written with humor, love and just enough drama. This is a wonderfully written story that entertains to the very end.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 9, 2022
I've read a lot of books written by Chris Ward; he is one of my favorite authors. I can’t wait to read more of his books.
This is part of the Delightful Christmas Series; it is a stand-alone book. The story is about Annie dealing with the manor that she inherited from her grandfather.
I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
This is part of the Delightful Christmas Series; it is a stand-alone book. The story is about Annie dealing with the manor that she inherited from her grandfather.
I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
October 30, 2022
Believe in Magic
CP Ward’s A Stranger Arrives This Christmas will make you believe in magic. This delightful story of finding love in the most unlikely place, topped off with the perfect Christmas in a village you’ll never find on a map will have you believing in the magic of Christmas.
CP Ward’s A Stranger Arrives This Christmas will make you believe in magic. This delightful story of finding love in the most unlikely place, topped off with the perfect Christmas in a village you’ll never find on a map will have you believing in the magic of Christmas.
December 12, 2025
Book number 7. Slightly different take this time with Annie inheriting a vast fortune and an entire village from her grandfather, who was something of a recluse. Annie sets about opening the Christmas themed village to holiday makers, to the delight of the residents. She manages to improve things for everyone and finds love along the way.
October 7, 2022
It was pretty interesting. It wasn't quite what I was expecting, but was fun enough to read and kept me interested.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 7, 2022
A highly enjoyable book with so much to offer in the story. Character developement is well written and I loved the chemistry. Definitely recommend.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 8, 2022
This was a really good read. The story was very well written with great characters. I would highly recommend this read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Read
October 13, 2022Quirky characters, a fun storyline, enjoyment from the first page to the last page makes for a great cozy mystery read. Perfect for the upcoming holiday season.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 16, 2022
I love Christmas novels and novellas, this one is neither and did not put me in the spirit of the season.
There was too much going on in the story and there were gaping plot holes.
nice premise, but the author did not follow through.
There was too much going on in the story and there were gaping plot holes.
nice premise, but the author did not follow through.
December 10, 2022
A lovely Christmas themed book, full of romance and surprises. I really enjoyed this book, it was nice to read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 7, 2024
I love this series
December 27, 2024
Just not for me
June 30, 2025
I listened to this book via Hoopla from my local library. I found most of the story a downer, sad really.
It does end well but it was hard going to get there.
It does end well but it was hard going to get there.
September 27, 2023
A Stranger Arrives This Christmas - Sweet. Magical. A wonderful little Christmas story with plenty of love and feel-goodness and fun. Good characters that are loveable and interesting story lines made this book hard to put down for long. 5*
Autumn at the Willow River Guesthouse - I have enjoyed a variety of genres from this author also known as Chris Ward. This interesting, sweet, entertaining story kept me immersed until the last page. In a similar style to Nicolas Spark, but without the heavy emotions, the lighthearted approach of telling a story about multiple losses in a two day period for a kind hearted young woman to her discovery of what she really wanted and needed sans the tears from her and the reader. I am sorry I missed the first book but I will not missed the future ones. 5*
A Train is Late This Christmas - Mr. Ward has always held my interest with the books of his that I have read whether his series set in Japan or this Christmas series. This is probably my favorite book so far. Thoroughly entertained, I enjoyed the well written story lines and the realistic dialogues. There are so many special characters that to have one removed from the story would have changed the personality, the magic and the fun found in this enchanting story. I could not stop reading. Whether the 'what would my viewers think' personality to the 'joyfilled youthful' personality, there are moments of clarity, romance, discoveries, calmness, joy, and living in the moment. Sometimes a terrible inconvenience can change more than plans for the holidays. Source: BookSprout. 5*
Autumn at the Willow River Guesthouse - I have enjoyed a variety of genres from this author also known as Chris Ward. This interesting, sweet, entertaining story kept me immersed until the last page. In a similar style to Nicolas Spark, but without the heavy emotions, the lighthearted approach of telling a story about multiple losses in a two day period for a kind hearted young woman to her discovery of what she really wanted and needed sans the tears from her and the reader. I am sorry I missed the first book but I will not missed the future ones. 5*
A Train is Late This Christmas - Mr. Ward has always held my interest with the books of his that I have read whether his series set in Japan or this Christmas series. This is probably my favorite book so far. Thoroughly entertained, I enjoyed the well written story lines and the realistic dialogues. There are so many special characters that to have one removed from the story would have changed the personality, the magic and the fun found in this enchanting story. I could not stop reading. Whether the 'what would my viewers think' personality to the 'joyfilled youthful' personality, there are moments of clarity, romance, discoveries, calmness, joy, and living in the moment. Sometimes a terrible inconvenience can change more than plans for the holidays. Source: BookSprout. 5*
December 8, 2024
Cute story.
The narrator was very good.
12/24
I listened to this again. I love these books and the narrator. I wish they would last longer.
The narrator was very good.
12/24
I listened to this again. I love these books and the narrator. I wish they would last longer.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews